Muslims urged to sight crescent moon on Thursday night

JEDDAH: Muslims in the Kingdom are being called upon to sight the crescent of the month of Dul Hijjah on Thursday evening.
In a statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), the Supreme Court asked whoever sees the crescent moon by the naked eyes or binoculars “to report to the nearest court and register his testimony” or report to the nearest center that can help him reach the nearest court.
The date of the start of Haj will be decided based on the sighting of the crescent of Dul Hijjah month in the Hijri calendar.
If the crescent is sighted and validated on Thursday, the first day of the month of Dul Hijjah 1437 will fall on Sept. 2, 2016 in the Gregorian calendar, and Haj will begin on Sept. 9, which would then be the 8th day of Dul Hijjah.
If there is no validated sighting of the crescent on Thursday night, the first day of Dul Hijjah will be on Sept. 3, and Haj will begin on Sept. 10.